An older, very different lead for ‘Doctor Who’

He may not be as adorable and sexy as Matt Smith, but he makes up for it with a hefty history of acting prowess.

The older and more established Peter Capaldi has been cast as the new lead in “Doctor Who.”

The Scottish actor, 55 and known for too many strong performances to count — “Local Hero,” “Torchwood: Children of Earth” and “The Thick of It” – will play the 12th Doctor, succeeding the much younger Smith.

“I wish my successor the best,” Smith, 30, said from Los Angeles. “He’s both a huge fan of the show and a really nice guy. As a fan, I think it’s a canny choice. He’ll be a hit. Good luck man, it’ll be a thrill.”

The announcement was broadcast live on BBC America today in a half-hour special built around the unveiling, which included commentary from past Doctors and companions, fans and even the brilliant Stephen Hawking, who likely would be happy with the more mature choice of Capaldi. Of the first Doctor, William Hartnell, Hawking said: “Being older gave him an air of authority younger Doctors lacked.”

Capaldi, in fact, is the second oldest actor to be cast as the Doctor. Hartnell beat him by a matter of months. Capaldi finally appeared more than 20 minutes into the special, couldn’t rave enough about the “extraordinary” “Doctor Who” – its writers, actors and fans.

The real reason the show is still here, he said, is “because of every single viewer who ever turned on to watch the show…took it into their hearts…’Doctor Who’ belongs to all of us. Every one made ‘Doctor Who’.”